The Bellevue Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Wednesday, May 28, on the draft Bel-Red Subarea Plan, a blueprint for dramatically reshaping a large swath of the city. The public is encouraged to attend.

The hearing is at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers, room 1E-126 of City Hall, located at 450 110th Ave. NE. It's an important milestone in a process that began more than two years ago and has involved numerous public meetings and recommendations from a Bel-Red Steering Committee. That vision is the basis for the draft Subarea Plan.

Planning Commission members will review the draft plans and regulations and are expected to make a recommendation to the City Council this summer. Council review and action on the recommendations could occur this summer or in the fall.

This Subarea plan, which recommends changes to the city's Comprehensive Plan and Land-use Code, calls for allowing the Bel-Red area to transition gradually from its current mix of low-rise, light-industrial and commercial uses to a more urban environment.

It envisions, by 2030, areas of more intense, mixed-used development, new parks and open space, a thriving economy, new neighborhoods, and a better transportation system with more streets, trails and bike lanes.

Located a short distance northeast of downtown, the 900-acre Bel-Red area is bordered by State Route 520 on the north, Bellevue-Redmond Road on the south, Interstate 405 on the west, and 148th Avenue Northeast on the east, with a small section between Bel-Red Road and 156th Avenue Northeast farther to the east.

To learn more about proposals for the Bel-Red area, including a draft of the Subarea Plan, a draft zoning map, a draft of proposed land-use code amendments, a staff report and proposed design guidelines, visit the Bel-Red web pages.